Alternative Energy Sources for Your Home
Alternative energy research has led to the development of state of the art alternative energy sources for the home. One of the advantages of using alternative energy is that it is a renewable resource whereas our supply of coal and other fossil fuels is depleting. This advantage of renewable energy and alternative energies has many companies and people looking for different ways to power up.
Sometimes called renewable resources, alternative energy does not need fossil fuel or even the splitting of the atom to be produced. It is called renewable because the sources of it are constantly being produced. It does not cause the pollution that oil and gas cause. This kind of energy is not really new. What is new is that we now categorize these forms of energy as alternative energy.
The forms that alternative energy may take are fuel cells, geothermal energy, wind power, biomass, hydroelectric energy, solar energy and water energy such as wave and tidal energy.
*Fuel cells as a type of alternative energy is usually associated with electric cars, or hybrid cars. Electrochemical devices produce power through a chemical reaction. The primary benefit of fuel cells technology is that power is produced without the production of harmful pollutants. They are still very expensive to produce, however.
*Geothermal energy can be a powerful source of energy. It is ideal for small scale use to heat houses, businesses and small industry. On a larger scale, geothermal plants extract the heat from the earth and use it to create steam to power turbine engines.
*Wind turbines produce energy using the same principal as windmills. Blades are moved by the wind, and a shaft attached to the blades rotate a generator that produces energy. This energy is stored in batteries. Wind is, of course required to run this type of alternative energy, so the more wind you have the better it will work. Sites where there is a lot of wind, such as open farmland are good for wind turbines, or other locations that cannot be reached by powerlines.
*Biomass is organic material that can be converted to fuel. There are many types, such as animal waste, crops and grains, wood and other byproducts from mills and forests as well as from aquatic plants. One type uses the matter to burn to produce steam power; another type transforms the matter into a gas or liquid.
*Solar energy is probably the most well known form of alternate energy. It is the safe and efficient use of the heat from the sun to form energy.
*Energy from water. Hydroelectric energy is the energy produced by dams. The movement of the water causes turbines to generate power instantaneously. The initial cost of a dam is very high, but after that the power is free. Tidal energy works on the same concept as dams. The turbines are put directly in the water and the motion of the tides over them powers the turbines. Wave energy uses the motion of the waves in the same way.
As alternative energy research continues, more alternative energy sources will be found. Perhaps one day we will heat our homes by transforming our refuse into a usable source of energy.
Categories: Alternative Energy - Solar - Wind - Geothermal - Water Tags: Open Farmland, Source Of Energy, Wind Turbines
Four Types of Alternative Energy Sources
Alternative Energy Represents Attractive Options
The traditional form of energy the world over refers to fossil fuels. This motley term includes crude oil, petroleum products, coal and the like. Fossil fuels are carbon-derived substances that have formed from the remains of dead organic matter over a period of time spanning millions of years. As a source of energy, their supplies are limited, and cannot be replenished. Moreover, the reckless consumption of coal and petroleum worldwide has naturally drawn attention to the environmental hazards of this mode of energy. Global warming, the rising incidence of asthma, and various other ills may be traced to an increasing burning of fossil fuels. As a result, the need for the adoption of alternative energy modes has made itself starkly felt in recent times. Several types of alternative energy have been developed in varying degrees. In the sections below, we briefly discuss four major forms of alternative energy.
Hydroelectricity: Ancient and Developed Mode
Energy derived from water is known as hydroelectricity. This essentially employs the force of falling water, as seen in naturally occurring waterfalls, to turn turbines for the generation of mechanical or electrical energy. Hydroelectricity is among the oldest and most widely used forms of alternative power. Regions that have a number of rivers and streams make fertile ground for the construction of dams to store water in huge amounts. Hydroelectric dams can provide power to an entire city at cheap tariff. However, the construction and management of hydroelectric dams do entail considerable finances and expertise respectively. An index of the popularity and success of this mode can be gauged from the fact that presently, almost 20 percent of humanity’s power needs worldwide are being met by hydroelectricity. In addition, hydro power comprises nearly 90 percent of all the power that gets generated globally by the combined diverse alternative forms of energy.
Wind Power: Feasible but Unreliable
Employing the force of the winds for the generation of electricity recommends itself as a form of alternative energy in its being inexpensive, easy to operate, and environment-friendly. Areas that are home to intense winds make ideal locations for the setting up of windmills. Such regions can merrily employ their force to turn windmills that can be used to generate oodles of electricity. Windmills are easy to construct and the force of the winds causes them to move, and to eventually generate electricity. However, on the flip side, winds have no reason to be punctual, as it were, and so make for an unreliable option. The associated technology is being used with success in various parts of the world. The Netherlands has emerged as a prime example of an effective utilization of this form of alternative energy.
Nuclear Energy: A Debatable Option
Nuclear power has the potential of generating huge amount of electricity. However, this mode has certain inherent factors and risks that cannot be ignored. Indeed, nuclear technology remains the exclusive reserve of a certain elite band of nations. The fear of misuse of related technology and materials is too real in today’s terrorism-racked world to be ignored altogether. Over 14 percent of the global electricity in 2007 came from nuclear power plants.
Tidal Energy for Coastal Areas
The naturally occurring tides in the coastal areas are a clean, renewable and cost-effective form of alternative energy. This mode employs the rise and ebb of tides that occur owing to interplay between the gravitational forces of the sun, earth and moon. Since tides are not dependent on the weather, their motions can be predicted with a fair degree of accuracy. The motion of the tidal waves is employed to firstly fill reservoirs of water. The water is then released through turbines that generate electricity.